Weekly Digest: Writing About Writing, Working on Books, Lots of Speaking Gigs, and Blog Struggles is a Success

I’ve been working non-stop on my upcoming big article series on blog writing and personal blogging. I’ll be posting some requests for your assistance on these issues soon.

I’m also working on two books, as well as the ebook version of Blogging Tips, so stay tuned for more announcements on that.

My schedule is starting to get finalized for all the speaking programs I have lined up this year. If you would like to bring me to speak before your group or conference, please let me know as soon as possible as my calendar is getting full. I cover a wide range of topics dealing with blogging, from WordPress to building a blog to building a blog network of relationships, and everything in between.

Also, a word of warning. We’ll be raising the price of my book, Blogging Tips, soon as the price of shipping and handling is going up, and we’ve extended the introductory price as long as we can. Get your order in soon as the price and shipping will be increasing.

Cancer Blogs and Bloggers was a post from my heart, having lost many family members to cancer, and proud to have many more still fighting and kicking. I love celebrating bloggers who really give so much.

Blog Struggles Series

I’m astounded at how well received my ongoing series on Blog Struggles has become. I’m really surprised. I was so nervous doing this article series and worked on it with doubt for months. People are really identifying with my stories of some of the struggles I’ve had over 14 years of blogging. This series will continue indefinitely as I dig through my memories of the internal debates, conflicts, and challenges I have faced while learning about the web and what eventually became known as blogging. Let me know if you are enjoying it, and I’ll keep reminiscing.

So far, the series includes:

Blog Struggles: The Search for Blog Content: We put so much energy into “finding” blog content that we often forget the best source for good blog content: from within us. I offer tips and techniques for pulling content from your head.

Blog Struggles: Ideas and Drafts: We come up with such great ideas and then what? We jot them down, make lists, start post drafts, and they sit there staring at us, as we procrastinate over what to do with all these ideas and how to keep them in check. I offer tips on how to best keep track of your ideas and drafts.

Blog Struggles: The Blog Focus: As part one in a sub-series of posts on Blog Struggles, I look at the issue of the blog focus, your blog’s ability to turn you from a blogger into an expert.

In Blog Struggles: When Are Too Many Comments Too Many Comments?, I share a struggle I faced not long ago about an over-enthusiastic commenter who left a ton of comments on my blog within a few hours, making me very suspicious. We are often faced with suspicious comments, so what do we do? How should we handle them?

Blog Struggles: When An Old Post is New Again takes a look at some of the struggles I’ve had when a past post suddenly gets picked up and sensationalized. I discuss the methods I use for keeping my old posts up to date, especially when fame comes knocking.

Blogger and Podcaster Magazine:Blogger and Podcaster Magazine will feature me as a regular columnist this year. The next article coming out soon will be on the business of blogging, part of a series. Get your issue now!

My Blog is a Resource For Me. Is It? This brought up a lot of controversy, but it’s clear that the really swift bloggers got the point. Your blog may be about you, but if you hit the publish button, it’s about the readers.

Andy Skelton: Apology: Not Useless Code really clicked with me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to say “Um, you’re wrong” when people pontificate on their “expertise” of WordPress and blogging. Andy has done so beautifully in describing the WordPress Loop and how it isn’t useless coding.

Whom Are You Writing For? from Daily Writing Tips is a great look at exploring who your readers are. If you don’t have Daily Writing Tips in your feeder, you are missing an invaluable blogging resource.

Ever wish you had a Virtual Assistant? Freelance Switch points to a contest in which you can win a virtual assistant. Are you ready for a virtual assistant? I’m getting close and giving it serious thought, so maybe I’ll enter the contest. Come join me.